The U.S. House on Tuesday passed a bill that would permanently ban taxpayer funding for abortion.
Reps. Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey and Dan Lipinski, a Democrat from Illinois, introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act last year.
The legislation now heads to the Senate.
“It’s rare Congress comes to an agreement on the issue of abortion,” said U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren of Illinois. “But ensuring no taxpayer dollars go to fund abortions has enjoyed bipartisan support ever since the Honorable Henry Hyde introduced his amendment.”
Passed by Congress in 1977, the Hyde Amendment ensures that abortion is not covered in the comprehensive health care services provided by the federal government. Obamacare, however, has separate funding streams that are not covered.
“Vast majorities of Americans oppose using taxpayer funds to pay for abortion, and this bill ensures this policy becomes permanent and government-wide, including in the president’s health care law,” Hultgren said. “All life should be protected, from conception to natural death, and forcing someone to pay for a procedure they oppose on moral grounds violates their freedom of conscience. Regardless of your views on the issue, everyone can agree that no one should be forced to pay for someone else’s abortion.”
Source: CitizenLink by Bethany Monk
